It is important that children develop basic arithmetical skills at an early age. Children in the age range of four to five are generally expected to be able to count to one-hundred by the end of kindergarten. In between kindergarten and second grade, children are expected to learn how to add and subtract. By the end of third grade, children are commonly expected to learn basic multiplication skills.
It is desirable to have learning games and toys that reinforce basic arithmetical skills. Flash cards are one common technique to teach children how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers. The exact beginning of the use of flash cards as an educational method is not known, but is probably at least a hundred years old. Variations on flash cards, such as writing questions and answers on a piece of slate, may be even older. Flash cards commonly have an arithmetic question printed on one side (e.g., "2 +2=?") and an arithmetical answer printed on the other side (e.g., "4").
It is well known that traditional flash cards are a comparatively poor learning method for many small children. One problem is that small children typically have an extremely limited attention span (e.g., less than five minutes for pre-school children). Consequently, small children may become easily bored with traditional flash cards. There have been many attempts to improve upon the concept of flash cards as a means to instruct children in basic mathematical concepts. In particular, a stack of flash cards can be replaced with a mechanical device having a plurality of numbered wheels or switch matrices which replicates the function of a traditional flash card. A variety of mechanical devices, for example, permit a user to input "2+2=" with one set of rotary dials and then to press a mechanical button to view the answer on another rotary dial.
However, merely replicating the function of traditional flash cards would not be expected to substantially improve the efficacy of the learning process compared with conventional flash cards. Small children have special educational needs which are not addressed merely by electronically or mechanically replicating the same function as conventional flash cards.
Conventional flash cards are almost exclusively a visual learning tool. However, children learn new skills by a variety of methods. Learning theorists classify children into three basic types: visual learners, auditory learners, and kinesthetic learners. Some children are primarily visual learners. Visual learners learn best by having visual cues, such as written text or symbols. Some children are primarily auditory learners. Auditory learners respond best to sounds, music, and speech. Some children are primarily kinesthetic learners. Kinesthetic learners respond best to motion, movement, and action-oriented learning. Although children usually have a primary learning modality, most children learn best when instructed with a combination of all three of these modalities.
Arithmetical learning, in particular, often requires a combination of learning modalities. In order to develop a so-called "number sense" children need to learn to associate abstract numbers with real-world objects. Teachers sometimes start with the physical manipulation of physical objects (e.g., "two apples plus two apples is how many apples?") as a pathway to developing an intuitive understanding of adding abstract numbers (e.g., "what is two plus two?").
Generally, active learning involving multiple learning modalities is superior to a single learning modality. Kindergarten teachers, for example, often use a variety of techniques to maintain the attention of small children. The number system, for example, may be taught by visually showing the numbers. Physical games, such as handing out apples to teach addition and subtraction, invokes kinesthetic modalities. Also, spoken words and songs (e.g., counting songs in which the number of people or animals is recited in tune to music) induces auditory learning modalities.
Learning is also facilitated by interactive learning. For example, classroom teachers sometimes use random quizzing to maintain the attention of the child. Additionally, entertaining games which maintain the attention of the child facilitate a child's learning.
Effective learning is also facilitated by providing emotional support and encouragement. Classroom teachers provide praise for correct answers and patient encouragement for children having difficulty grasping new facts or concepts.
Conventional flash cards, which are predominately a visual learning tool, may be ineffectual for children who are primarily auditory or kinesthetic learners. Also, conventional flash cards do not also address the emotional needs of small children.
Personal computers may be programmed with mathematical games that teach arithmetic skills. The size and cost of conventional personal computers, however, may price them out of the reach of many parents. Also, the comparatively large physical size and fragility of conventional personal computers may limit the extent to which unsupervised play by a small child is acceptable. For example, parents are unlikely to hand over an expensive (e.g., $500 to $1000) multipurpose home laptop computer filled with important family records to a small child for unsupervised play. Conventional laptop computers are not designed to take substantial amounts of punishment from small children, such as being repeatedly dropped. Also, a conventional laptop computer may be too bulky and heavy for a small child to conveniently carry and play with in many situations, such as in a car or in a school bus.
Moreover, commonly used mouse and track-ball designs do not provide a strong kinesthetic learning modality. A conventional mouse or track-ball is designed to permit an adult to rapidly insert inputs into a computer. A conventional mouse or track-ball is not designed to assist a child to gain a strong understanding of arithmetical relationships by invoking a strong kinesthetic learning modality. "Pointing and clicking" at objects on a computer screen with a conventional mouse invokes mainly visual learning modalities. Thus, while a conventional personal computer may be programmed with arithmetic games, it does not provide the desired combination of simultaneously strong kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning modalities which children need to rapidly learn arithmetic.
An arithmetical learning tool that combines the visual learning mode of conventional flash cards with auditory and kinesthetic learning modes as part of an engaging, interactive game is highly desirable. However, no previously known learning toy combines all three learning modalities into a fun, interactive game specifically designed to teach children basic arithmetic skills.
What is desired is a multiple learning modality arithmetical game and method designed to aid small children in mastering basic arithmetic.